Wednesday, November 26, 2014

It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas

In advance of the snow, Ron Gaylord and a crew from the Department of Public Works moved the little houses that comprise Santa's Village into Seventh Street Park yesterday. There is still work to be done on the interiors of the little buildings. The official "opening" of the little village won't happen until December 6, the morning of St. Nicholas' Day, which this year is also the day of Winter Walk on Warren Street. These two little houses are being completely refurbished--inside and out--but work is still going on inside, so the windows will remain covered until next Saturday.

This little house has gotten a new coat of paint and will become--appropriately in our town--Santa's art gallery. The artwork of schoolchildren will be displayed inside.

On the outside, this building too only got a coat of paint, but the interior is being completely transformed by the artisans of Etsy.

Finally, there is this house, whose exterior has only been altered by the addition of green shutters, but the interior has been cleverly and tastefully redesigned by Suzanne and Carl Devino of Eustace & Zamus Antiques.

Gossips had the privilege of getting a peek inside.

The project was the brainchild of the indefatigable Ellen Thurston, who has been trying for years to bring together the talents of Hudson's creative community and the Department of Public Works to get Santa's Village renovated. This year, Gia Albergo-Delmar and Abel Ramirez volunteered their time and talent and recruited others to make it happen. Even more improvements to the village are promised for next year.COPYRIGHT 2014 CAROLE OSTERINK

4 comments:

Love it! When we first moved here, Santa visited the village and photos were taken for a donation. There is a need in Hudson for a Santa to visit children. I know he stops by the winterwalk, but it would be nice if he would visit the village for the kids also. The line is sometimes huge at winterwalk.

Gia and Abel are the real forces behind the renovation of Santa’s Village. It would not have happened without them. Nor would it have happened without the full cooperation and, indeed, encouragement of Hudson’s Department of Public Works Superintendent Rob Perry and Foreman Ron Gaylord. All kudos goes to them!

It is true that the Village will grow next year—just as Hudson is growing--with continued renovation and even new construction. With growth in mind, I offer an amendment to this Gossips post. The Hudson Opera House event that ushers in the holiday season in Hudson started out as a two-block festival in the 500 and 600 blocks of Warren Street, and was indeed called “A Winter Walk on Warren Street.” The event has now grown to encompass the entire mile of Warren Street and stretches into side streets, and over to Columbia and Green Streets as well, and has officially changed its name to “Winter Walk.” Some people call it “Hudson’s Winter Walk,” and indeed it is.

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About The Gossips of Rivertown

This blog takes its name from the 1850 novel by Hudson author Alice B. Neal. The original Gossips of Rivertown cast a gimlet eye on Hudson society in the mid-19th century. More than a century and a half later, the new Gossips carries on the spirit of the original, but in a different genre and with a different focus.